A campaign has been launched to try to secure free bus travel for under-25s across the country to tackle ‘extortionate’ fares.

The Labour Party has pledged that it will use money from Vehicle Excise Duty - the tax paid by car owners - to fund free bus travel for 13 million young people in England.

It is currently estimated that 19,089 people aged between 20 and 24 use a bus in Stoke-on-Trent with an additional 4,760 in the Staffordshire Moorlands and 9,545 in Newcastle.

Passengers at Hanley’s bus station supported the change but some said they would prefer to see a reduction in fares rather than completely free tickets.

Danny Bristow, aged 23, of Meir Park, said: “It would be a good move and I would use it. Fares at the moment are extortionate and I have to get the bus to Hanley everyday.”

Eighteen-year-old Spencer Andrews from Fenton, added: “It is pretty overpriced at the moment and can cost £17 for a weekly ticket but people in education get the bus for free from their college. Young people often go from job to job and need the bus for work.

“It is a good idea and even if they cannot make buses free then it would be good if they could be made cheaper.”

A D&G bus in Hanley

David Whitten, aged 21, said: “I wouldn’t say they need to make them free but they should bring the price down. Younger people get paid less anyway and you can spend over the odds as it is for a bus that is not always on time.”

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Chris Almond, bus network manager at D&G, says he does not oppose the free transport scheme but says the price paid to the operators would have to be fair to help keep costs down.

He said: “Operators are not paid enough for the concessions at the moment so it would be interesting to see how this could be calculated. I am not against it but it would have to be fair.

“The problem at the moment for disabled and elderly passengers is that it used to be paid for by the Government but was devolved to local authorities who don’t have much money to pay with so our subsidies go down and we have to put prices up.

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“Any plan to introduce free travel to under-25s would need proper consultation with the bus operators.”

Network manager Chris Almond.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says the policy will make a ‘huge difference’ to young people and has pledged to introduce the change should his party win the next general election.

He said: “Labour wants to help young people make the most out of life by investing in them, which is why today we are pledging the next Labour government will provide the funds to cover free bus travel for under-25s, to support them to travel to work, to study and to visit friends.

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“Young people also tend to be in lower paid, more insecure work, and they spend a higher proportion of their income on travel. Giving them free bus travel will make a huge difference to their lives.”

The scheme would only be available in local authorities where the buses are owned by the public and the party says it would save young people up to £1,000 a year.

Hanley Bus Station.

Lobby group the TaxPayer’s Alliance, has criticised the policy and says it is an attempt to ‘bribe’ young people into voting for the party.

Chief executive John O’Connell said: "Bus subsidies already run into the billions, costing each household £80 a year. Why on earth should 25-year-old taxpayers on minimum wage subsidise 24-year-old bankers to nip between meetings and lunches in the city?

"This is just another example of politicians trying to bribe people with their own money and the public should see through such shameless policies."